Comments on: Forum on County Rezoning Draws Full House https://capecharleswave.com/2014/11/forum-on-county-rezoning-draws-full-house/ Your Online Newspaper in Cape Charles, Virginia Fri, 07 Aug 2015 21:55:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1 By: David Kabler https://capecharleswave.com/2014/11/forum-on-county-rezoning-draws-full-house/#comment-136522 Wed, 12 Nov 2014 14:54:54 +0000 http://capecharleswave.com/?p=14739#comment-136522 There will be a meeting of the Northampton County BOS tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 PM at the County Administration Building, 16404 Courthouse Road, Eastville. This is an important meeting for citizens of this County for a couple of reasons.

First, there is a public hearing on a Special Use Permit for a motel in the hamlet of Kiptopeke. The citizens of the Hamlet are demonstrating their right to comment and have significant and valid concerns about the benefit of such a business to the County and what such a business in their hamlet would do to their property values. Why is this important to you if you don’t live there? Because, under the proposed Zoning Ordinance, their ability to have any input into such a business in their residential area would be removed. Observing this public hearing will give you an idea of the privilege you now have to have a voice regarding your surroundings, and what will be taken away if this ordinance gets approved.

Second, the process by which this Zoning Ordinance was created is completely flawed and has bypassed the citizens of the County. This is a critically important time for you to show your concern for the process by which this Zoning Ordinance was developed. A huge number of “by uses” are allowed in residential neighborhoods in the proposed ordinance by right, which means without any public hearing. Many of these uses would have tremendously negative impacts on property values in those neighborhoods and on towns, hamlets and villages bordering such uses. Our water quality and quantity are at risk with this proposed ordinance, and no studies have been done to assure that this precious resource would be protected.

This proposed Zoning does absolutely nothing to encourage any responsible economic development and has the very real potential to harm our currently successful industries, your property values and your quality of life.

It is critically important to show up tonight. Even if you do not feel comfortable getting up and speaking, please be there to show the supervisors that you recommend withdrawal of this proposed Zoning Ordinance. A document as critical to the future of the County should be done with community input and utilizing data and analysis to support changes.

Show them that you care about your community. Be there at 7:00 PM tonight.

]]> By: J T Elliott https://capecharleswave.com/2014/11/forum-on-county-rezoning-draws-full-house/#comment-134066 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:03:10 +0000 http://capecharleswave.com/?p=14739#comment-134066 Wondering why the Virginia Beach commercial real estate broker in your story (Katherine Campbell, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, Virginia Beach) is so interested in economic development in Northampton County.

]]> By: Pam Barefoot https://capecharleswave.com/2014/11/forum-on-county-rezoning-draws-full-house/#comment-133899 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:14:15 +0000 http://capecharleswave.com/?p=14739#comment-133899 I’d like to see the supervisors take our current zoning and fix the “bugs.” I’ve been waiting since June 2012 for them to fix the “accessory building bug.” Under our current zoning, if you build an accessory building, it cannot be used for a guest house, B&B, mother-in-law cottage or overnight sleeping of any kind (not even by the owner) unless you own 20 or more acres. This should be remedied ASAP as it stifles small business and private initiatives to increase tourism. With the time spent bickering over the proposed new zoning, all the small things in our current zoning that could be changed without much fuss are being lost in the smoke while economic improvement is stalled.

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